Surge in tourists boosts Polynesian Blue

A surge in the number of Australian and New Zealand tourists visiting Samoa over Christmas helped drive impressive first half earnings growth for fledgling Pacific airline, Polynesian Blue.

The carrier announced a pre-tax profit of $NZ3.62 million ($A3.24 million) for the six months to December 31, 2006 - triple the result achieved in the eight months between its launch in October 2005 and June 30, 2006.

The result was helped by a 52.6 per cent increase in the number of Australians holidaying in Samoa, and a 28.5 per cent increase in New Zealand tourists between January and November of 2006.

Virgin Blue Holdings Ltd and the Samoan government each own 49 per cent of the airline, with an independent Samoan investor owning the other two per cent.

In a statement, Samoan Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi said the airline was providing broad economic benefits to the nation.

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"Polynesian Blue is already generating positive benefits for the country and the airline is continuing to be profitable," he said.

"We have moved from subsidising the national airline service to receiving income from it which is very important for the economy and provides opportunity to steer funds into other priorities.

"The Polynesian Blue board has demonstrated great courage and dedication in ensuring the success of this joint venture."

"Considering that the airline operation is less than two years old, this is a very good result and demonstrates what can be achieved through a good partnership," Mr Godfrey said.

Polynesian Blue said its outlook for the second half of the year was optimistic but the company acknowledged that the first half results were expected to be the strongest due to travel patterns to and from Samoa associated with Christmas and seasonality.

The joint venture operates three flights a week from Sydney to Apia and five flights a week to Apia from Auckland.